note: this is part of a series on the American world football takeover, for better context you can read part1, an explanation of why America has taken over world football here: https://alientalk.sport.blog/2019/03/04/a-young-american-explains-why-america-now-rules-world-football-the-american-world-football-invasion-series-part-1-of-3/
and part2, explaining the Global Super League here: https://alientalk.sport.blog/2019/03/06/forget-the-european-super-league-the-goal-is-a-global-super-league/
The American Way has taken over the world. It has finally taken over world football. It will destroy the beauty of football for the owners’ goal of infinite profit and power.
The PEOPLE’s GAME will become the OWNER’S GAME as the American model will increase the gap between rich and poor. It will destroy all of the other leagues and clubs.
Global consolidation
We have gotten used to mega powerful corporations buying up everything in their paths, destroying local small business. The Super League clubs are the mega corporations.
The Super League will command all of the world’s money and attention. The other leagues and clubs have 3 fates:
1) die
2) Be swallowed up by the elite clubs – Who would not want to become a Man City farm club?
3) lose professional status and turn into a semi-pro or non-pro club
We will no longer have to learn about new clubs, cultures, places, and people because “who cares, they are not in the super league.”
Death of Promotion and Relegation
The Super League WILL END PROMOTION AND RELEGATION. And besides, the other leagues will eventually die anyways.
This means that there will be no more fairy tales where lower league clubs can rise to the top tier.
Football is beautiful because any team, anywhere has a fair chance to reach the top.
my story with football/soccer
I feel like I have to share my personal story so you can understand my opinion.
I am a child of first-generation American immmigrants.
Soccer was NEVER a part of my young life.
Family, friends, and society never invited me to learn more about soccer. In the USA, soccer was considered a “weak” sport only for women because of the US Women’s success.
I was a hardcore NBA and NFL fan by the age of 6.
a young american tired of american sport culture
In my teenage years, I began to reject American sport culture:
I was tired of the media industry making billions and billions of dollars off of college student-athletes.
I was tired of the huge amount of worthless regular season games.
I was tired by the sheer volume of rules and how every game was dominated by arguments over rules.
I was tired of the constant ad breaks and constant starts and stops.
I was tired that there was not a TRUE team sport in America:
In the NFL, the quarterback is worth more than the rest of the team COMBINED.
In the basketball, just GIVE THE BALL TO LEBRON.
Baseball is mostly a 1 on 1 sport: pitcher vs hitter.
Most importantly, I was tired of teams “tanking”- LOSING ON PURPOSE to sign the best young prospects.
I then discovered the FIFA video game after downloading game demos on my Xbox. I was addicted to the game instantly.
I quickly learned why soccer was “the beautiful game”. I learned that soccer was incredibly fun.
The most fun part was leaening about different leagues, countries, clubs and cultures.
Biggest of all: I discovered promotion and relegation.
Eventually soccer/world football became my favorite hobby and sport.
Opposite of American Sports
Basically, I fell in love with world football because it was the oppposite of American sports.
There were no ad breaks.
It was a free-flowing game, no constant starts and stops.
Every game matters, unlike the NBA’s insane 82 game preseason.
I loved the fact that football clubs did not LOSE ON PURPOSE beacsue of promotion and relegation.
There is a general American belief that soccer is TOO SLOW, TOO BORING. The “slow” game was exactly why I loved the game even more. In a hyperactive world, I think soccer is calming and a form of therapy.
I loved the fact that football was a TRUE team sport and you could see what is possible when an entire club and community come together.
I loved the fact that football clubs are unique, formed by common people, unlike American billionaire “franchises”.
sad irony
I have been a hardcore world football lover for less than 5 years. The beautiful game has helped me survive personal and family tragedy.
It is ironic that I did not see the American invasion at first.
The European Super League confirms the American takeover of world football.
the draft system: a bigger spotlight on young kids
I think that the global super league will adopt an American-style draft system.
This means that the worst clubs in the super league will be REWARDED with the BEST YOUNG PROSPECTS. This will give clubs the incentive to LOSE ON PURPOSE in the hopes of landing the next young superstar.
A draft system and the lack of relegation will completely destroy the integrity of competition. Plus, the draft event itself will allow owners to make EVEN MORE MONEY off YOUNG KIDS.
What do I mean when I say young kids?
Most of the best players are discovered by the age of 8 or 9. In order to play in the Super League, the kids will have to enter the draft in order to join one of the elite club academies.
There will be TONS of content and attention on these young kids before they even reach the league.
Increasing media coverage over these young kids will glorify child labor.
the beautiful, modest game
Modesty is the biggest reason why world football is beautiful.
It is the only sport where fans and clubs can root for a DRAW.
Avoiding relegation is just as meaningful as winning a trophy.
Smaller clubs can upset the giant clubs in actual competitive games.
In a world of infinite and cancerous growth, it is beautiful how clubs and fans can settle: be happy with what they already have.
In America, there are no draws, for MAX PROFIT.
In America, there is no promotion and relegation for MAX PROFIT.
In America, LOSING ON PURPOSE is better than trying to shock the world.
America Rules
In time, I think that the Super League will adopt American rule changes:
NO DRAWS
MORE AD BREAKS
AS MANY GAMES AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE MORE MONEY
Expect basketball style rules:
SHOT CLOCKS
HALF-COURT VIOLATION
NEW FOUL TYPES
Every small foul will turn into penalty kicks to increase scoring to insane levels.
The data says more scoring equals more money. Expect matches where each side scores 30 goals or more.
a sad young american supporter
I am sad that I only got to enjoy world football for less than 5 years. I was trying to escape the American sport system and now world football will become the ultimate American product.
The Super League will be for super powerful rich owners and super rich elite supporters. The hometown supporters will be priced out and the Super League will increase the global wealth gap.
World football will become as soul-less and meaningless as everything else.
supporter power?
As the fans who spend our time and hard-earned money on the sport, maybe we have the power to stop the European Super League. Supporters of the elite super clubs have the MOST POWER. If they reject the league, maybe that will be enough to stop it.
But changes will eventually happen sooner or later because of the classic American model:
Increase profit and power and destroy everything in its path.
disclaimer: I am actually a MLS fan because I know promotion and relegation will NEVER WORK here.
alienSportTalk 